Cooling-board.



No. 653,762. I Patented July 17,- I900.

c. E. wmnom.

COOLING BOARD.

(Application filed Feb. 27, 1899.)

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CHARLES E. WINDOM, or STERLING, ILLINOIS.

COOLlNG-BOAR D.

SPECIFICATION forming part or Letters Patent in. 653,762, dated. as 17, 1960". Application filed February 27, 1899. Serial No. 707,014. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. WINDOM, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Sterling, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cooling- Boards; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make 'and use the same,'reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The cooling-boards now in use by undertakers in general are composed of two or three sections in order to fold the board for convenience in carrying, and while they are suited to the purpose for which they are man ufactured their ungainly shape and size make their transportation an inconvenience. A board made in the aforesaid manner is necessarily too large to be easily carried any distance by one person and when taken in a carriage or wagon cannot be hidden and discloses the errand of the undertaker, notwithstanding the care he may take to prevent do- Ing so.

The object of my invention is to produce a cooling-board which will. not be subject to these objections, but which can be rolled into such small compass that when provided with suitable straps or a valise-like covering it can be carried with comparative ease in the hand and transported in such manner as the user may desire without exciting the curiosity of the general public.

An additional feature of my invention is an adjustable head-rest which is removably seated in the head of the cooling-board.

I attain the objects of my invention by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a perspective of the cooling board inposition for use. Figs. 2, 2 and 2 show details of the chain. Fig. 3 illustrates the method of rolling the board. Figs. 4, 4 4", 4, 4:, and 4 show details of adaptations of other chains for use in my invention. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View showing the manner of hinging the legs and stay brace rods to the slats to permit of their being turned inwardly. I

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several views.

A is the board, which is composed of a se ries of slats A. Theends of the slats A are secured to the links B of the chains B. If the form of chain illustrated in Fig. 2 is used, the slat A is provided with a suitable opening through which and a corresponding openingin the chain a bolt or screw may be passed and rigidly held in place by a nut. Other modes of firmly securing the slats A to the chain B are made adaptable to the kind of chain used; but in whatever form of chain used the links B must be joined in such manner as to form a knife-blade or similar joint when the board is extended in a horizontal position in order that the slats A may abut and form a rigid supporting surface which will resist being bent beyond approximately a straight line in a downward direction. The lower contiguous corners of the links B are so formed as to permit them to assume the position illustrated in Fig. 3, which enables the board to be rolled into small compass.

The cooling-board may rest upon any suitablesupport; but for convenience I provide it with legs C and D. These legs are hinged to the corners of the board A in such manner as to permit of their being folded under and parallel with the slats A when the board is to be rolled. The legs D, which support the end of the board A, in which is movably seated the head-rest K, are made adjustable in order that the board may be raised or lowered at that end. In Fig. 1 the leg D is shown with a spring-hook which is fastened to its exterior and which engages through an opening in the leg D with any one of a series of openings in an adjustable rod seated in the leg D.

That the board may be secured against any possible sagging the sides are trussed by means of the brace-rods G and cables or chains H, which are intermediately secured to the lower extremities of the rods G and have their ends suitably fastened to the corners ot' the board A, as shown. The upper extremity of each brace-rod G is so secured to the board A as to allow its being folded under the board when the latter is removed from its support preparatory to being rolled. When my cooling-board is being prepared for transportation, the head-rest is removed, the board inverted, and the legs 0 and D folded under the extremities of the board A, as hereinbefore described, and the brace-rods G, carrying with them the chains H, are likewise folded parallel with the board. The latter can then be rolled up, as shown in Fig. 3, and is ready'to be conveniently carried in any manner and by any suitable means.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United an extendedbearing in addition to the abutments of the slats themselves, to prevent the said slats folding in an upward direction, substantially as described.

2. A portable cooling-board comprising a series of slats, hinge connections between said slats comprising links having their pivotal points at approximately the lower ends of the links to permit the slats to fold downwardly, abutting edges on both ends of the links above their pivotal points to prevent the slats folding in an upward direction, and

end supports for the board adapted to be turned to lie parallel with the slats when the board is to be folded, substantially as described.

3. A portable cooling-board comprising a series of slats, hinge connections therebetween permitting the same to fold only in a downward direction, supporting-legs hinged to the board and adapted to be turned to lie parallel with the slats when the board is to be folded, and a truss movably connected to the board comprising a flexible cable suitably fastened at its ends and brace-rods therefor also adapted to be turned into a position parallel with the slats when the board is to be folded, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 7 in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. WINDOM.

Witnesses:

C. L. MANAHAN, M. T. MANAHAN. 

